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Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense

4.8M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.9%

40%55%
Floor47.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 4.8M games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 3.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.8M games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
4.8M
Best context
51.1% at 0-999 Classical
Worst context
42.4% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
33 moves
Games that end decisively
96.4%
Draws
3.6%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Gambit BreakpointBlack

Peak: +0.6% · Breakpoint: 0-999

How to Beat This (Move 3)

Best: 3...f5 · Black wins: 48.9% · 2.2M games

Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 51.2% at 0-999, 47.3% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 52.9% expected score (379 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (74,796 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (129,323 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (64,225 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (612 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.3% expected score (1,152 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (170,381 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (205,150 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (73,563 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 48.9% expected score (1,764 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 45.2% expected score (2,161 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.1% expected score (291,682 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (331,068 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (92,966 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 49.7% expected score (3,483 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 42.8% expected score (3,525 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (406,213 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (453,763 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (117,465 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.5% expected score (4,987 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.5% expected score (2,987 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (432,645 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (472,928 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (103,768 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (3,164 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 43.7% expected score (1,508 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (384,504 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (342,672 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (63,919 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (1,443 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.9% expected score (464 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (251,551 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (133,269 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.2% expected score (20,100 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 41.2% expected score (259 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 41.1% expected score (60 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (127,141 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.2% expected score (30,234 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (2,717 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (50 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.1% expected score (17,032 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 45.1% expected score (1,323 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (60 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 67.4% expected score (10 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Vienna Game
51.4%
Variations (5)
Vienna Game: Anderssen Defense
49.8%
Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit
57.4%
Vienna Game: Stanley Variation
51.0%
Vienna Game: Falkbeer Variation
48.2%
Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights Variation
50.1%
Analyze Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense scores 47.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.8% and 47.9% — from 4.8M Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
4.8M+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate?

Playing the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense, Black wins 46.1%, draws 3.6% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 4.8M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense perform best?

The Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 50.7% (269K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.8% in Blitz (2.1M games) against 48.4% in Rapid (539K games).

How sharp is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense?

The Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense has a sharpness score of 96.4 (very decisive), meaning 96.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 48.9%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 269K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 47.2%, draws 3.1% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 452K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.7%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 721K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.2%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 986K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.7%, draws 3.7% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 1.0M Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.5%, draws 4.0% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 794K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.8%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 406K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.4%, draws 4.8% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 160K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 41.9%, draws 6.2% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 43.9%, draws 1.4% and loses 54.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.6%. It rests on 12K Lichess games.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.4%, draws 2.8% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 2.2M Lichess games.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 45.7%, draws 4.2% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 2.1M Lichess games.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 46.1%, draws 4.5% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 539K Lichess games.

What is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 46.4%, draws 4.8% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.

Is the Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense a good opening?

The Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.1% of its games and loses 50.3%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.